Harry Potter Gets Another Chance
by SlySnape7
Summary: What if Harry had a third option at Kings Cross? What if he could go back? Of course it's never that easy for the Boy-Who-Lived.
1. Chapter 1

"I've got to go back, haven't I?"

"That is up to you."

"I've got a choice?"

"Oh yes." Dumbledore smiled at him. "We are in King's Cross, you say? I think that if you decided not to go back, you would be able to, let's say, board a train."

"And where would it take me?"

"On," said Dumbledore simply.

Silence again

"Or you can go back further"

"What?" Harry asked.

"Right now your soul is separate from your body it can go right back in as your body is empty, however this is not the first time your body has been empty. Your soul has been separated before, remember?"

"No." Harry's face scrunched up in confusion

"ln your third year," Dumbledore informed him.

"Oh," then it dawned on him, "the dementors!"

"Yes" Dumbledore said, "I believe you can go back to that time."

Harry's eyes lit up in excitement

"I could do this over save lives, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Fred, Cedric, everyone."

"Yes!" Dumbledore exclaimed

"How do I do it?" Harry asked.

"You will have to imagine the moment, pull yourself into the memory of it," Dumbledore explained. "Picture the dementors, feel the depression and cold. Good luck, Harry."

Harry took a deep breath and tried to recall the moment he felt his soul leave his body back in third year. He remembered the dementor holding his head up and the head of the dementor drawing closer its mouth inches from his face. They were forcing his face upward. He could feel its breath. He could feel its putrid breath. His mother was screaming in his ears. She was going to be the last thing he ever heard, and then, through the fog that was drowning him, he thought he saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter. He felt himself fall forward onto the grass. Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, Harry opened his eyes. The dementor must have released him. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around him. The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away.

Something was driving the dementors back. It was circling around him, Sirius and Hermione. They were leaving. The air was warm again. With every ounce of strength, he could muster, Harry raised his head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lake. Eyes blurred with sweat, Harry tried to make out what it was. It was as bright as a unicorn. Fighting to stay conscious, Harry watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, Harry saw, by its brightness, somebody welcoming it back raising his hand to pat it, someone who looked strangely familiar, was that him?

Harry didn't understand. He couldn't think anymore. He felt the last of his strength leave him, and his head hit the ground as he fainted.

"Shocking business, shocking, miracle none of them died, never heard the like, by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape"

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there. Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, and Granger, Minister."

"No!"

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape. They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now. I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster —"

"Ah, well, Snape, Harry Potter, you know we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned."

"And yet — is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended — at the very least — for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister — against all school rules — after all the precautions put in place for his protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer — and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too —"

"Well, well, we shall see, Snape, we shall see. The boy has undoubtedly been foolish."

Harry lay listening with his eyes tight shut. He had a feeling he had heard all of this before.

"What amazes me most is the behavior of the dementors you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances."

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the girl —"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

There was a pause. Harry's brain seemed to be moving a little faster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of his stomach.

He opened his eyes. Everything was slightly blurred. Somebody had removed his glasses. He was lying in the dark hospital wing. At the very end of the ward, he could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to him, bending over a bed. Harry squinted. Ron's red hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey's arm. Harry moved his head over on the pillow. In the bed to his right lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open too. She looked petrified, and when she saw that Harry was awake, pressed a finger to her lips, then pointed to the hospital wing door. It was ajar, and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Snape were coming through it from the corridor outside.

Harry was sure he had heard all of this before. He gave Hermione a confused look but she just shrugged her shoulders.

"Ah, you're awake!" Madam Pomfrey said briskly. She placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.

"How's Ron?" said Hermione.

"He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you two, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what do you think you're doing?"

Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand.

"What's going on?" he asked Madam Pomfrey.

"You were attacked by Sirius Black and some dementors, do you not remember?" she asked slightly worried.

"What?" Harry was completely confused. "No, I-"

"Ah, they are awake," Cornelius Fudge walked into the room with Snape on his heels. "How are you feeling Harry?"

"Confused." Harry said honestly. "What's going on?"

Before he could get an answer Dumbledore walked in.

"Really, my patients need rest" Madam Pomfrey said, giving Harry a worried look.

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black and he told me the most interesting tale."

"I wouldn't believe anything he says Headmaster," said Snape.

"Yes, well I need to talk to Harry and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us."

"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey "They need treatment, they need rest —"

"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.

"The dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."

He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.

"I wish to speak to Harry and Hermione alone," Dumbledore repeated.

Snape took a step toward Dumbledore.

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.

Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Harry and Hermione.

"What happened, tonight?" he asked.

Hermione looked at Harry, but he still hadn't figured out what was happening he was sure he had been fighting Voldemort not Sirius, so he shrugged his shoulders and gestured for Hermione to talk.

"Sir, Sirius is innocent. Peter Petigrew was the one to betray Harry's parents not Sirius. He has been hiding as Ron's rat for twelve years, he's an animagus," Hermione explained.

"Yes, that is what he told me as well," then he turned to Harry. "Do you remember the same thing?"

"Er, yes?" Harry said. "I know Sirius is innocent, we've known for a while haven't we?"

"No, Harry," said Hermione slightly confused, "how could've we known that?"

"No wait, we discovered this in our third year, remember?" Harry said his brain functioning slightly more now.

"You are in your third year, Harry." Dumbledore told him his eyes slightly worried.

"What?" Now Harry was really confused.

Both Hermione and Dumbledore gave him worried looks.

"Perhaps, I should call Madam Pomfrey back in here," said Dumbledore.

"No, I'm fine." Harry said hurriedly. "What are we going to do about Sirius?"

Dumbledore gave him another look but nodded and turned to Hermione.

"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes stared into Hermione's, "is more time."

"But —" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake. You — must — not — be — seen."

Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.

"I am going to lock you in. It is —" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."


	2. Chapter 2

"Good luck?" Harry was so confused.

Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain.

"Harry, come here," she said urgently. "Quick!"

Harry moved toward her, completely bewildered. She was holding the chain out. He saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it.

"Here —"

She had thrown the chain around his neck too.

"Ready?" she said breathlessly.

"Where did you get the time turner?" Harry said, completely lost.

Hermione turned the hourglass over three times.

The dark ward dissolved. Harry had the sensation that he was flying very fast, backward. A blur of colors and shapes rushed past him, his ears were pounding, he tried to yell but couldn't hear his own voice —

And then he felt solid ground beneath his feet, and everything came into focus again —

He was standing next to Hermione in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. He looked wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into his neck.

"Hermione, what — ?"

"In here!" Hermione seized Harry's arm and dragged him across the hall to the door of a broom closet; she opened it, pushed him inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind them.

"How do you know about time turners, Harry?" Hermione asked him. Harry put his head into his hands and groaned. He didn't understand what was going on, and he had the biggest headache.

"Harry, are you okay?"

"No!" he groaned. "I don't understand what is happening."

"What is the last thing you remember before waking up in the hospital wing?" Hermione asked carefully.

"Er, we were at Hogwarts," he began, Hermione nodded encouragingly, "Voldemort was there —."

"No, Harry we were in the Womping Willow with Sirius, remember?"

Harry was sure that had happened years ago, in third year. Then again Dumbledore said they were in their third year. Harry lifted his head to look at Hermione, she looked young her eyes filled with worry but not hardened, not the eyes of a warrior.

"You're fourteen," he stated.

"Yes." She looked even more worried now.

Suddenly it hit him, he had died! No wait, he remembers talking to Dumbledore, about time travel!

"l remember!" He exclaimed.

"You do?" Hermione's eyes lit up.

Harry paused he wasn't sure if he should tell Hermione, but decided against for now. If he remembered correctly, they were on a mission to save Sirius and Buckbeak.

"Er, yeah," said Harry. "Sirius is innocent."

"Yes!" Hermione agreed. "Now we need to see how we can help him, we've gone three hours back into time and I'm pretty sure we just passed by under the cloak."

Harry nodded, he remembered that.

"I'm just not sure what Dumbledore wants as to do." She sighed.

"We need to save Buckbeak," Harry said. "Then we can fly him up to where Sirius is being held"

Hermione stared at him.

"Er, right?" Harry asked realizing he was not acting as his thirteen-year-old self would.

"Yes, I suppose that makes the most sense," Hermione nodded slowly." He did say we may save more than one life tonight."

"Right."

Harry reached toward the door, but Hermione grabbed his arm.

"We must not be seen," she said. Harry nodded.

Harry pushed open the closet door. The entrance hall was deserted. As quietly and quickly as they could, they darted out of the closet and down the stone steps. The shadows were already lengthening, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest gilded once more with gold.

"If anyone's looking out of the window —" Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them.

"We'll run for it," said Harry determinedly. "Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout —"

"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses!" said Hermione breathlessly. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!"

Harry set off at a sprint, Hermione behind him. They tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as they could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing toward the shelter of the forest.

Safe in the shadows of the trees, Harry turned around; seconds later, Hermione arrived beside him, panting.

"Right," she gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's, keep out of sight, Harry. . . ."

They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. They moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And Harry heard his own voice.

"It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered. He stood back, then shut the door quickly.

"Let's move along a bit," Hermione whispered. "We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"

They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid's pumpkin patch.

"Now?" Harry whispered, knowing Hermione's answer.

"No!" said Hermione. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"

"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," said Harry.

At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid's cabin.

"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment —"

Sure enough, a few minutes later, they heard Hermione's shriek of surprise.

Harry growled at the fact Pettigrew was only a couple feet in front of them.

"Harry, no." Hermione said.

"I know."

Hermione nudged him and pointed toward the castle.

Harry moved his head a few inches to get a clear view of the distant front doors. Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner was coming down the steps.

"We're about to come out!" Hermione breathed.

And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened, and Harry saw himself, Ron, and Hermione walking out of it with Hagrid. He looked at his younger self in wonder, he looked so young and innocent.

"It's okay, Beaky, it's okay," Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on. Get goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't —"

"We'll tell them what really happened —"

"They can't kill him —"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

Harry watched the Hermione in the pumpkin patch throw the Invisibility Cloak over him and Ron.

"Go quick. Don' listen."

There was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. Harry watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard three pairs of feet retreating. He, Ron, and Hermione had gone but the Harry and Hermione hidden in the trees could now hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door.

"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.

"Out — outside," Hagrid croaked.

Harry pulled his head out of sight as Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge.

"We — er — have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's procedure —"

Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.

"Wait here," Harry whispered to Hermione. "I'll do it."

As Fudge's voice started again, Harry darted out from behind his tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak.

"It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown —"

Careful not to blink, Harry stared up into Buckbeak's fierce orange eyes once more and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Harry began to fumble with the knot of rope tying Buckbeak to the fence.

". . . sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair . . ."

"Come on, Buckbeak," Harry murmured, "come on, we're going to help you. Quietly . . . quietly . . ."

". . . as witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here. . . ."

Harry threw all his weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet. Merlin, his yonger body had no muscles, he decided he'd change that this summer.

"Well, let's get this over with," said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside —"

"No, I — I wan' ter be with him. . . . I don' wan' him ter be alone —"

Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.

"Buckbeak, move!" Harry hissed.

Harry tugged harder on the rope around Buckbeak's neck. The hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid's back door.

"One moment, please, Macnair," came Dumbledore's voice.

"You need to sign too." The footsteps stopped. Harry heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster.

Hermione's white face was sticking out from behind a tree.

"Harry, hurry!" she mouthed.

Harry could still hear Dumbledore's voice talking from within the cabin. He gave the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees. . . .

"Quick! Quick!" Hermione moaned, darting out from behind her tree, seizing the rope too and adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster. Harry looked over his shoulder; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn't see Hagrid's garden at all.

"Stop!" he whispered to Hermione. "They might hear us —"

Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Harry, Hermione, and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the hippogriff seemed to be listening intently.

Silence . . . then —

"Where is it?" said the reedy voice of the Committee member.

"Where is the beast?"

"It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I saw it! Just here!"

"How extraordinary," said Dumbledore. There was a note of amusement in his voice.

"Beaky!" said Hagrid huskily.

There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.

"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"

Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Harry and Hermione tightened their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him.

"Someone untied him!" the executioner was snarling. "We should search the grounds, the forest —"

"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" said Dumbledore, still sounding amused. "Search the skies, if you will, Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."

"O' — o' course, Professor," said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. "Come in, come in. . . ."

Harry and Hermione listened closely. They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.

"Now what?" whispered Harry, looking around.

"We'll have to hide in here," said Hermione, who looked very shaken. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours. Oh, this is going to be difficult."

She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the forest. The sun was setting now.

"We're going to have to move," said Harry, thinking hard. "We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."

"Okay," said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. "But we've got to keep out of sight, Harry, remember. . . ."

They moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow.

"There's Ron!" said Harry suddenly.

A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air.

"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —"

And then they saw two more figures materialize out of nowhere.

Harry watched himself and Hermione chasing after Ron. Then he saw Ron dive.

"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"

"There's Sirius!" said Harry. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. They saw him bowl Harry over, then seize Ron.

"Ouch!" Harry said looking at his past self.

The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its 1ower branches; they could see themselves darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. And then the tree froze.

"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," said Hermione.

"And there we go," Harry muttered. "We're in."

The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, they heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle.

"Right after we'd gone down into the passage!" said Hermione. "If only Dumbledore had come with us."

"Macnair and Fudge would've come too," said Harry bitterly. "Fudge would've had Sirius kissed without hesitation."

They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then —

"Here comes Lupin!" said Harry as they saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and haring toward the Willow. Harry looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely.

They watched Lupin seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Lupin, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots.

The castle doors flew open yet again, and Snape came charging out of them, running toward the Willow. Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the cloak and held it up. Then Snape seized the branch Lupin had used to freeze the tree, prodded the knot, and vanished from view as he put on the cloak.

"So that's it," said Hermione quietly. "We're all down there and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again."

She took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it securely around the nearest tree, then sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees.

"Harry, there's something I don't understand. Why didn't the dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out, there were so many of them."

Harry sat down too. He wasn't sure how to explain it to her, last time he had thought it was his father that had come to save him. Easy mistake to make, as he did not know about time travel, and he looked a lot like his dad. Now, though, he knew the truth, it was him who made the dementors go.

"Someone cast a patronus, that drove them all away." he said.

"Who?" Hermione asked him.

"I don't know."

"Didn't you see them?"

"No my eyes were closed."

She nodded understandingly.

"Here we come!" Hermione whispered.

She and Harry got to their feet. Buckbeak raised his head. They saw Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots followed by the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upward. Next came Harry, Hermione, and Black. They all began to walk toward the castle.

Harry's heart was starting to beat very fast. He glanced up at the sky. Any moment now, that cloud was going to move aside and show the moon.

"Harry," Hermione muttered as though she knew exactly what he was thinking, "we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do."

"You're wrong."

"Harry—"

The moon slid out from behind its cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then they saw movement —

"There goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming —"

"You need to move." Harry told her.

"No! We can't change anything."

"Lupin's going to come this way!"

Hermione gasped.

"What about you? Come with me."

"No, I need to get Pettigrew, go to Hagrid's cabin, it is empty now"

"No!"

"Hermione! Take Buckbeak and go. Now!" Harry raised his voice slightly. Hermione gaped at him then, quickly started to untie the hippogriff. She had never heard Harry talk like that before, but she knew she should listen. She gave him one last look then started running towards Hagrid's.

Harry took a deep breath. He was not going to let Pettigrew ruin his life anymore.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry ran towards the Whomping Willow, he quickly tapped his wand to his head disillusioning himself. Then he waved his wand in a circle, getting rid of his scent. Hermione had taught him that a week ago, or four years into the future. It was confusing to think about.

As he approached the tree he could see Remus transforming. He quickly crouched into the tall grass he remembered Wormtail disappeared into. Sirius was pushing the past Harry away.

"Leave it to me - Run!"

Present Harry watched Wormtail, waiting for him to transform. He knew he couldn't change what he knew the past Harry saw. Past Harry saw Wormtail disappear into the tall grass, but he didn't see what happened to Wormtail afterwards. Of course, Present Harry knew that eventually Wormtail found Voldemort, but he figured that dying and going back in time is different than using a time turner. After all, why would Dumbledore send him back if he couldn't change anything?

He saw Wormtail reach for Remus' wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Past Harry forced Remus' wand out of the traitor's hand. "Stay where you are!"

Wormtail didn't listen and started to shrink, transforming into a rat. Ron reached for him but missed, the rat slipped into the grass. Fortunately, the rat ran right into Present Harry's hands. Harry help his shout of glee as he quickly stunned the rat. Then he quickly looked up making sure no one saw the flash of red.

Remus and Sirius had both ran off, while Past Harry and Hermione were checking on Ron.

A yelping noise came from by the lake. The Past Harry recognized it as Sirius and with a last glance at Ron both him and Hermione ran towards the noise.

Present Harry stuffed the rat into his pocket, much like how Ron use to. He ran towards the lake but went around on the other side away from Past Harry and Hermione. He could hear his younger self screaming the patronus spell, trying to drive the dementors away.

As he arrived he saw himself across the lake wand in hand pointing at the dementors that kept creeping closer. Harry knew he had to wait until his future spirit inhabited his body before chasing the dementor. Younger Harry started to fall, the dementor caught him with its bony hand, then used the other hand to lower its hood. Suddenly a blue mist surrounded younger Harry's body, the dementor froze, and if Harry didn't know better he'd say it was confused. The blue mist smoothly settled into Harry's body, present Harry knew that was his cue.

" _EXPECTO PATRONUM"_

A brilliant white stag leapt from his wand quickly galloping towards the dementors pushing them away. The dementor that had almost kissed Harry quickly dropped him and flew away the stag on its heels. Present Harry watched the younger Harry hit the ground, his eyes barely open, a smile on his face.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice came from behind him. He turned around to see Hermione looking confused eyes darting everywhere looking for him. He quickly took of his deception spells. Her eyes landed on him wide eyed.

"Hermione" Harry greeted her, he wasn't sure what to say.

"What did you do?" her hesitancy disappeared as she grabbed his arm and pulled him behind the trees.

"You weren't supposed to be seen!" she scowled him.

"I wasn't! I promise!" he reassured her "and I got Pettigrew!" He pulled the rat out from his jacket pocket.

"What?! Harry!"

"I grabbed him when he went into the grass, the past us thinks he disappeared, so it's ok." He explained to her.

Her mouth dropped and she was silent. After a minute she closed her jaw and put her head into her hands.

"Hermione?"

"It's ok, the universe hasn't exploded yet," she mumbled to herself, then looked up at him. "The universe better not explode!"

"It won't, Hermione, don't worry," he smiled to himself, she was acting like her older self, then he frowned remembering he would never see that Hermione again. Oh sure, this one will get older but hopefully he could save her from experience the things the other Hermione went through.

"When do you think Sirius will be at the tower?" she asked pulling Harry out of his thoughts.

"Er, I don't know, let me check," he peeked around the tree trunk. "Snape's got us, probably going to take us back to Hogwarts."

"Will have to wait a little while then," Hermione said. Harry nodded.

"Let's move somewhere where we can see the Astronomy Tower," said Harry.

Together they untied Buckbeak and started to walk towards Hogwarts, Snape had already made it into the castle.

"Harry what was that blue thing that surrounded your body?" she asked as they walked.

Harry wasn't sure how to respond to her, so he decided to play ignorant. "I don't know, do you think it was something bad?"

"Do you feel bad?" she gave him a knowing look, she knew something was up with him.

"No, I mean I was really confused when I woke up, maybe the dementor did something to me?"

"Hmm, well I never heard of a dementor causing confusion when they are no longer around."

"Maybe it has something to do with time travel," technically he wasn't lying there.

"Maybe," she sounded doubtful. "But I wasn't surrounded by mist."

"But you didn't cast a spell maybe it was a magic thing."

"I'll have to look in the library tomorrow," she started planning her research in her head. Harry was relieved, he wasn't sure why he was lying to her, but it was probably the wrong time to drop the dying and other time travel on her, anyways.

"It's time, look there's Macnair getting the dementors," he pointed at the executioner. He quickly stopped Buckbeak and climbed onto his back, then helped Hermione up. She nervously wrapped her arms around Harry. Harry nudged Buckbeak to move forward and soon they were flying in the air. Hermione's hair whipped around her and constantly hit Harry's neck making it itch, but he was too distracted by the rush of adrenaline that ran through his body. Hermione was grumbling into his shoulder her dislike of flying, he laughed. He steered Buckbeak towards the Astronomy Tower, counting the windows to Flitwick's office. He got as close as he could then waved his wand, unlocking the window.

"Sirius!" Harry could hardly contain his excitement at seeing his godfather up close for the first time in two years.

"Harry? Wha-?" Sirius' jaw hit the floor, "how?"

"No time to explain, hop on"

Sirius scrambled out of the window onto Buckbeak, sitting behind Hermione. Harry nudged Buckbeak again and they flew towards the courtyard. Both Sirius and Harry shouted with joy as the hippogriff flew. Finally they landed and Harry and Hermione got off.

"Harry thank you—"

"Listen Sirius, you need to go hide in the caves in Hogsmead. Tomorrow leave Buckbeak there and come to the Gryffindor common room as Padfoot using the passage in the Whomping Willow."

"Harry shouldn't I leave the country?"

"No I am going to prove you innocent, I know where Wormtail is – no I won't tell you where, just trust me please?" Harry looked into Sirius' eyes willing him to agree.

"Ok, I trust you Harry," Sirius agreed. Harry sighed in relief.

"Thank you Sirius, I'll see you tomorrow then," Harry smiled.

"Yes, and Harry—you truly are your fathers son." With those last words Sirius dug his heel into the hippogriff and flew off into the night.

"Come on we need to get back," Hermione pulled on Harry's arm leading him into the castle.

They quickly started to run towards the Hospital Wing. They were running down a stair case so fast that they almost ran in front of Snape and Fudge. Harry managed to stop himself and Hermione in time and they pressed themselves into the wall in the hope that they would not be seen.

"—only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties," Snape was saying. "The kiss will be performed immediately?"

"As soon as Macnair returns with the dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last. I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him."

Harry rolled his eyes, after they had passed the two teens continued running, going down many hallways and only slowing around corners. They could hear Peeves cackling ahead, so Harry pulled Hermione into a classroom.

"Harry we only have three minutes," Hermione whispered anxiously.

"We'll make it." Harry hoped his extra seconds of conversations with Sirius hadn't affected the time the time they had to get to the wing.

After Peeves went past them, they continued running. Finally they could hear Dumbledore.

"I am going to lock you in," they heard him saying. "It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Harry and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache. "Well?" he said quietly.

"Done!" Harry said, breathlessly. "Sirius is gone, on Buckbeak."

Dumbledore beamed at them.

"Well done. I think—" he listened intently for any sound in the hospital wing. "Yes, I think you've gone too, get inside. I'll lock you in."

Harry and Hermione slipped back into the hospital wing. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. They crept back to their beds.

"You didn't tell him about Wormtail" Hermione stated.

"Don't worry, I have a plan," Harry said then gestured for her to be quiet.

Madam Pomfrey came striding out.

"Did I hear the Headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?"


	4. Chapter 4

Madam Pomfrey was in a bad mood so Harry and Hermione ate their chocolate quietly. Harry kept looking at the door, expectantly, and soon angry voices could be heard coming towards the wing.

"What is that?" said Madam Pomfrey, "really, they'll wake everyone up! What do they think they're doing?"

The voices got closer and Harry could recognize the Prime Minister's voice.

"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left someone in the room with him. When this gets out—"

"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE" Snape roared. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH POTTER!"

"Severus be reasonable. He's been locked up—"

BAM!

The door of the hospital wind burst open.

Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore was calm, if not amused. Fudge looked angry, but Snape was furious.

"OUT WITH IT POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Professor Snape!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey. "Control yourself!"

"See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked, we just saw—"

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione.

"Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense."

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "HE DID IT I KNOW HE DID IT."

"That will do Sev—"

"No," Harry interrupted Dumbledore, "let him keep going. I believe he was accusing me of helping a criminal even though there's no proof."

Everyone stared at him in shock. Snape, however, recovered quickly.

"POTTER I KNOW—"

"NO! SNAPE! You don't know!" Harry shouted over Snape. "There's no proof! Why is it that proof seems to be optional in the wizarding world?"

"Now, Harry, I do not believe you had anything to do with Black escaping," Fudge said, trying to show Harry he was on his side.

"Oh ok, but if I wasn't the boy-who-lived would you still believe me? What if it was Ron, Snape was accusing?" said Harry, then quickly continued to Fudge couldn't answer. "What about Black? Where was his trial?"

"His trial?" Fudge asked confused. "He didn't need one he was caught on the scene, wand in hand, laughing, 12 muggles dead and only a finger left of the wizard he killed."

"Wrong!" Harry said. "Did you even cast Priori Incantatem on his wand?"

"Of course! But, er, that's official, confidential," he explained but looked apprehensive.

"Right, I bet there was no explosive spell on his wand," Harry said, but Fudge did not respond.

"What are you blathering about, Potter? What does it matter if he got a trail?" Snape asked.

"It matters, Snape because Sirius is innocent."

"What—?" Snape did not know how to respond to Harry's claim.

"Don't be ridiculous boy—" Fudge started.

"Don't call me boy!" Harry said, then took a breath and pulled out the rat from his pocket. "Gentlemen, er, and ladies, this is Peter Pettigrew."

Both Snape and Fudge looked at Harry like he was the craziest person on the planet. Dumbledore also looked a bit surprised at Harry's capture.

"That's a rat." Fudge said, not sure how to continue.

"I don't know the animagus reversal spell, so if someone could—" Harry looked at Dumbledore. The Headmaster flicked his wand and the rat grew into a man. The added weight made Harry drop the traitor to the ground, where he landed face up, still unconscious.

"Thanks, ok, now ladies and gentlemen this is Peter Pettigrew." Harry tried again.

Fudge's jaw dropped and Snape barely contained his shock.

"Do you happen to have any veritaserum?" Harry asked Snape.

Snape did happen to have some, for he planned on using it on Black, but he didn't get the chance. He hesitated, how would a third year know about veritaserum? Potter was awful in potions. He glanced at Dumbledore and when the headmaster nodded he pulled the vial out of his robes. Snape quickly walked over to the previous rat and carefully dropped three drops of the clear liquid into Pettigrew's mouth.

"Thank you," Harry said. Harry then conjured ropes that quickly tied themselves around Wormtail. "Ennervate."

"Wha-?" Peter Pettigrew woke up, his eyes snapping open in fear and confusion.

"Don't even try to turn into a rat. I _will_ kill you." The malice in Harry's voice left no doubt to Peter that he meant it. Everyone else also stared at Harry, they had never seen him like this. "State your name."

"Peter Pettigrew," he whimpered, he had realized what he was given, there was no escape this time.

"What happened the night of October 31st 1991?" Harry asked, wanting to get to the point.

"I-I told the Dark Lord where the Potters were hiding," a sob followed his confession.

"Bu-but Black was the secret keeper, everyone knows that!" Fudge interrupted.

"Pettigrew explain why everyone thought that" Harry ordered.

"It was Sirius' idea, for him to pretend to be the secret keeper, no one would think they trusted me," as the truth spilled from his lips, he rocked back and forth, his beady eyes looking for an escape.

"Quite clever," Dumbledore spoke up. "Worked a little too well though, didn't it?"

"What happened on November 1st 1991?" Harry asked Pettigrew.

"Sirius came to kill me, I ran but I knew I had to do something, so I accused him of being a traitor and blew up the street. I turned into a rat and then ran into the sewers."

There was a silence after, Fudge was shocked, he could not believe that Sirius Black was actually innocent. Snape was also surprised but managed to keep it well hidden, he should have known that Black was too loyal to Potter to betray him. That meant that this disgusting creature in front of them was responsible for Lily's death. His lip curled in anger, he wanted to strangle them man, but he controlled himself.

"It appears you will be leaving with a criminal, Cornelius." Dumbledore said, breaking the silence.

"Yes, yes, well I'll go get the dementors," he turned to leave.

"No! Wait! You can't just suck out his soul, he needs a trial, the public needs to know the truth." Harry exclaimed, it seemed the ministry was doomed to make the same mistakes over and over again.

"My boy, you do not understand what this will do the Ministry, we will be in chaos!" Fudge said exasperated. "I could get kicked out of office, if the public knew we locked up an innocent man."

"You weren't the one to send him to Azkaban," Harry said, he mentally sighed, he knew Fudge care deeply about staying in office. "Look, maybe you knew all along that there was something wrong with Black's case, but you didn't want to tell the public in case nothing came of it. So, you investigated, and when you came here tonight you found the rat, and somehow, maybe intuition or genius, you knew that this rat wasn't right. You managed to run him back and to your surprise it was Peter Pettigrew, whom confessed of his crimes as you took him to the aurors."

Fudge stared at him, he wasn't the only one.

 _He doesn't want the credit?_ Snape thought.

"You don't want any credit?" Fudge said echoing Snape's thoughts.

"No, as long as Sirius is given a full pardon." Harry said, he didn't want or need the attention anyways. "Will you do this?"

"Yes, I believe I can agree to this," Fudge said, his eyes lighting up with greed, no matter how much money Malfoy threw at him, it couldn't buy the respect of the people like a good saving the day story. Using his wand, he re-stunned Pettigrew then levitated him out of the Hospital Wing.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Harry and Hermione woke up feeling refreshed. Hermione was bursting with questions for Harry, as she had not gotten to ask him anything the night before. Madam Pomfrey had made sure they were going straight to sleep. Once again she was stopped by the healer when Madam Pomfrey came in with trays of food floating in behind her.

"Eat up!" She told them then started to check on Ron. "He should be waking up today."

Harry and Hermione sighed with relief. After finishing breakfast Madam Pomfrey let them leave. Harry could tell Hermione was ready to pelt him with questions, but he managed to convince her to wait until Ron woke up, so he wouldn't have to explain twice. So, as Hermione ran off to the library, probably to look up the blue mist mystery, Harry went to Gryffindor tower to meet Sirius.

As Harry approached the Fat Lady, he saw a black dog sitting patiently, waiting for him. The Fat Lady keep shooting the dog ugly looks, she didn't want his matted dirty fur to spread to her clean portrait.

"Padfoot!" Harry called for the dog and waved him over.

"You're not supposed to have dogs, honey." The Fat Lady informed him.

"I know he's just visiting, don't worry," Harry reassured the portrait.

Together the boy and dog walked to the Headmaster's office. As they approached the gargoyle, Harry realized he did not know the password.

"Er, chocolate frogs?" Harry guessed, the gargoyle sighed in disappointment. "Pumpkin pasties, cauldron cake, fizzing whizzbees…" he listed every wizarding candies, then switched to muggle candy "…mars bars, jelly baby—"

At that it opened.

"Really? Jelly Baby?' Harry asked, the gargoyle stared at him, the Headmaster is crazy, it told him. At least that's what Harry read from the look. "Right, then, thanks."

Harry and Padfoot climbed up the spiral stairs. Before Harry could even knock, he heard Dumbledore telling him to come in. He always wondered about that, did Hogwarts tell the Headmaster when someone was here?

"Harry! …and Sirius?" Dumbledore said looking at the dog in expectation, and as soon as Harry closed the door Sirius changed back to a man.

"Headmaster," Sirius greeted. "Harry told me to meet him today."

Both looked at Harry, waiting for him to explain himself.

"Right, er, not sure where to start." Harry said, he still couldn't wrap his head around the fact he actually went back in time. "Actually first can you get Professor Snape to come here, he should hear this too."

"Snivellus?" Sirius asked. "Why?"

"Merlin, how old are you Sirius?" Harry sighed he knew this would be difficult.

"I'll call him right now," said Dumbledore. The Headmaster then walked over to his fire place and shouted the professors name. A minute later Severus Snape stepped out of the fire, a sneer appeared on his face when he saw the other two occupants of the office.

"Yes, Headmaster?" the Slytherin asked.

"Harry here requested your presence."

Severus raised an eye brow at the youngest Gryffindor.

"Right, well, I need to explain some things but, again, I don't know where to start," Harry said.

"From the beginning, my boy, I find, is always a good way to start." Dumbledore suggested.

"The beginning, okay," Harry took a breath, "You cannot interrupt me until I am finished okay? We might as well get comfortable."

Sirius and Severus both looked to the Headmaster, and he nodded gesturing for them to sit, while he went to his comfy chair behind the desk.

"The beginning I suppose is back before I was born—don't interrupt." Harry scolded Sirius who was about to speak. "There was a prophecy claiming that there would be a boy who could defeat the Dark Lord Voldemort. Of course it eventually got back to Voldemort, but he only knew half of it. A boy who would be born at the end of July to parents who defied him thrice. There were two couples who fit this description the Potters and the Longbottoms…" Severus looked very uncomfortable at where this topic was going. "… both couples went into hiding. Voldemort decided to go after the Potters first, and we all know what happened there. I lived because of my mother's love.

"Voldemort then wasn't heard of until 1991, when he tried to get the Philosopher's Stone. I stopped him then, and the next year when he came back in the form of a diary possessing Ginny Weasley. My third year I did not meet him, but in my fourth year he came back."

"Wait—your fourth year?" Sirius asked, interrupting.

"Yes, my fourth year. He put my name into the Triwizard Tournament and at the last task he placed a portkey for me to take. Unfortunately, Cedric and I both grabbed the portkey and on arriving to a grave yard Cedric was killed by Peter Pettigrew."

"What story are you making up, Potter?" Snape asked, there was no way the boy knew any of this, or did he suddenly become a seer?

"Let me finish, Snape. There in the graveyard he resurrected himself using my blood. I managed to escape, but when I told everyone what happened, only Dumbledore believed me. Because of this Voldemort had more time to grow and plan, and it wasn't until the end of my fifth that the ministry finally saw him for themselves. In my sixth year, he sent Draco Malfoy to kill Dumbledore, what he didn't know was that Dumbledore was already dying. He died at the end of my sixth year when Death Eaters took over the castle. I didn't return for my seventh year, I with Ron and Hermione went searching for the Dark Lords horcruxes…"

"Horcruxes?" Dumbledore spoke for the first time. He wasn't sure what to believe, how did Harry know all this information? No fourth year would have any knowledge of horcruxes, much less one who grew up with muggles. Dumbledore also knew of a resurrection that used the blood of the enemy to resurrect their foe, it was very dark and not many people knew of it. He let Harry continue the story just to see where he was going but, horcruxes?

"Yes, horcruxes, he made seven of them, the diary, ring, diadem, snake, cup, locket, and….me," Harry sighed. Dumbledore was appalled, he had suspected the diary for what it was but to make seven? And one of them was Harry?

Severus was also horrified, he had heard of horcruxes, he did not know much of them, except they're one of the foulest sorts of dark magic. There was something definitely wrong with Potter, he could have never come by this knowledge on his own.

"Wait, what are horcruxes?" Sirius asked not knowing why everyone was so horrified.

"It is a way of preventing death, you cut part of your soul and put into a container." Harry explained simply, and Sirius' jaw dropped. Cutting your soul was horrible, your soul is who you are, no wonder the dark lord went mad.

"and… you're one of them?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, he accidently put part of his soul into me." Harry said.

"Accidently?" questioned Snape.

"I believe he was going to make a horcrux using my death, but when the spell backfired it killed his body. His soul already so damaged, a part of it went into me. That's why I can speak to snakes."

"How do you know all this. Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Right, if you guys would let me finish, so Hermione, Ron, and I went searching for horcruxes and we found most of them. The ring had already been dealt with by Dumbledore. We got the locket and the cup, then decided to go to Hogwarts to look for another one. There we found the diadem, but then Voldemort found out I was there. This was going to be the final battle, Neville killed the snake, and Snape told me I had to die, so I went to die…" Sirius again wanted to interrupt, but didn't, he still wasn't sure if any of this was real. "When Voldemort killed me I met Dumbledore in a sort of limbo. He told me I could go back and finish Voldy, or I could continue on to be with my parents. I was going to go back when he suggested I go back further, to another time when my soul left my body…yesterday, in fact."

"You…traveled…in time?" Sirius asked. Harry nodded. He didn't say another word, letting the three men process the information.

"You call the Dark Lord, Voldy?" Snape asked.

"Oh, yeah, since people are scared of Voldemort and no one knows his real name Tom Riddle. So, Voldy it is, makes him less scary." Harry answered.

That was pretty funny, Sirius thought. He couldn't believe his godson was capable of doing all those heroic deeds; battling Volder—no Voldy, at eleven, a basilisk at twelve, saving him at thirteen, Voldy again every year after. Then he went back in time?

"This is great!" Sirius said, grinning, "It's a huge prank on Voldy, isn't?"

"This isn't a laughing matter, mutt!" Snape scolded Sirius like he did his students. "Why would you go back in time? Sounds like you were doing fine, you got all the horcruxes. Where you too afraid to face the Dark Lord?"

"Are you calling Harry a coward?" Sirius asked angrily.

"If the wand fits…" Snape sneered.

"I wasn't doing fine," Harry answered before Sirius could say anything else. "A lot of people died. First Cedric, then…Sirius" Sirius eyes widened at that, but Harry continued on, "Dumbledore, Mad-Eye Moody, Ted Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Colin Creevy, Fred Weasley…even you, Professor." He looked at Snape.

Snape didn't look surprised by that. He knew the Dark Lord would be returning and he had reasoned, even hoped he wouldn't survive it.

"So you came back to save everyone." Dumbledore stated.

"Yes" Harry answered, "and I am going to do it with or without your help."


	6. Chapter 6

Harry walked down the steps to Dumbledore's office alone. He had finished his talk, and had explained some of his ideas for the future. They all agreed it was risky, but the payout could be great. Sirius was now on his way to 12 Grimmauld Place. He was going to clean it up so Harry could come over in the summer. He also invited Remus to come live with him and to help clean.

Harry was excited to go live with Sirius, and he couldn't wait for the summer to begin. It was the first time he ever wanted summer to start. He had many plans and was eager to start putting them into place, but for now he was now on his way to see if Ron was up yet.

When he arrived at the Hospital Wing he saw Hermione was already there sitting by Ron's bed. Ron was sitting up eating his lunch, but he stopped to grin at Harry when he arrived.

"There you are!" Ron exclaimed, crumbs falling out his mouth, "'Mione was just telling me about what happened yesterday. I can't believe you told of Snape! Then you ordered the Minister around! Who are you? And what have you done with my best friend the shy, quiet, Harry?"

"I wouldn't say I was shy," Harry responded smiling, Ron didn't notice his use of the past tense, but Hermione did, she frowned. "More like I thought the adults wouldn't listen when I talked, which to be fair they haven't before."

"Yeah," Ron grinned.

"Harry, are you feeling better?" Hermione asked. "I looked up all I could about blue mists, and after effects of dementors but there was nothing!"

Hermione was distraught, the library let her down, and she had let Harry down.

"Don't worry, Hermione" Harry told her, "I know what the blue mist was."

"Really? Did Dumbledore tell you? What is it? Is it harmful?" Hermione asked firing of questions, without giving him time to respond.

"Wow, wow, 'Mione let the man speak." Ron said. Hermione glared at him, but he was already eating more food, so he didn't see it.

"Dumbledore didn't tell me, but it's not dangerous or harmful," Harry answered some of her questions.

"Well, what is it?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"It's…It was my soul." Harry answered.

"What?" Hermione said confused. "Harry you can't see your soul! If we could then we would have seen Sirius' too."

"Well, normally no, you can't see it, but when your soul is sent back in time, then you can see it." Harry said.

Hermione looked even more confused.

"We could see it because we used the time turner?"

"No, we could see it because I traveled from the year 1997 to yesterday."

"You traveled from four years in the future?" Ron laughed.

"Yep."

Both Ron and Hermione stared at Harry. How could have he traveled time? From 1997? It didn't make any sense.

Harry sighed, then began to tell them the same story he told the others. He explained what happened in their fourth year, then about the order of phoenix, he told them that Sirius had died, and then all the people who died there after. Ron and Hermione sat in silence just listening to what he said.

Hermione couldn't believe what her friend was telling her. Time travel was dangerous, she was told over and over again that before being given the time turner. What Harry did, was doing, was completely over the top dangerous. Possibly the most dangerous thing he has ever done, including all the stuff he supposedly done in the future.

"So, do the Chudley Cannons win the Quidditch Cup?" Ron asked, breaking the silence.

"No, sorry the Irish do," Harry laughed.

"Damn!"

"Ron!" Hermione yelled. "Of all the things to ask him!"

Harry and Ron just grinned at each other.

"Then you ask him something," Ron told her.

Hermione looked at Harry, she had doubt all over her face, she sighed. She didn't want to call Harry a liar, but this was impossible.

"If you did come back, why come back yesterday? Was it because of Pettigrew? Why not just go back and stop Sirius from dying?"

"I didn't have much of a choice, I had to go back to a time where my soul was separated from my body, that way I can get back in my body. Instead of having two bodies, like with a time turner."

"So the Harry we knew is dead?" Hermione asked, Ron paled.

"No! No, I am that Harry! It's more like we combined, I just added my years to his, to me," Harry paused, he didn't quite understand it but he knew his thirteen-year-old self did not die. "It's still me, I just have more memories."

"Er, well then, thank you," Ron said.

"Thank you?" Harry looked confused, as did Hermione.

"Yeah, thank you for coming back to save Fred, and all of us." Ron said his ears turning red.

"Your welcome." Harry grinned.

"Well obviously you already changed what's going on with Sirius, what else are you changing?" Hermione asked.

"I'm going to make sure everyone, especially me, is ready for Voldemort," Harry explained.

"But, what does that mean?"

"It means we are going to have to train. Sorry Ron, our summers are no longer free," Harry smiled.

"We can still play quidditch, though, right?" Ron asked worriedly.

Harry and Hermione laughed.

* * *

After the feast Harry went to the DADA classroom to say good-bye to Remus.

"I saw you coming," said Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map.

"You're leaving." Harry stated.

"Yes," Lupin sighed. "What happened last night should have never happened. I could have bitten someone."

"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we ever had."

Lupin smiled and continued to empty his drawers.

"Don't try to convince me to stay, Severus already let it slip that I am a werewolf. This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents, and I don't blame them."

"I know," Harry sighed. "But I am not trying to convince you to stay. I want to hire you."

"What?" Lupin stopped packing to look at Harry.

"If Sirius was really going to kill me, he would have succeeded," Harry explained. "If not Sirius, then Voldemort will. You are a good teacher, I need to learn how to defend myself…and others."

"You want me to teach you how to duel?" Lupin asked and Harry nodded. "I don't know, you are not allowed to do magic over break, and would your aunt even be ok with me teaching you? If not, you would have to wait till next year with your new defense teacher."

"Don't worry, it will be this summer, I have a plan," Harry said. "So, you'll do it?"

"Ok, as long as everything is legal," Lupin smiled. "Here—I brought this back from the Shrieking Shack last night," he handed Harry back the Invisibility Cloak, "and, I am no longer a Hogwarts's professor, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it.

Harry took the map and grinned.

There was a knock at the door. It was Professor Dumbledore; he didn't look surprised to see Harry there.

"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.

"Thank you Headmaster."

Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty grindylow tank.

"Well, good-bye, Harry," he said smiling. "I look forward to hearing your plans for the summer. Headmaster there's no need to see me to the gates, I can manage."

"Good-bye then, Remus," said Dumbledore soberly. Lupin shifted the grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and a swift smile, Lupin left the office.

"How are you doing, my boy?" Dumbledore asked.

"Good" Harry smiles. "I told Ron and Hermione, they seem to have taken it well. I'll tell Remus over summer."

Dumbledore nodded.

"Well, good luck, Harry. I hope your plans are successful." Dumbledore said, then he left the office.

* * *

The following days passed quickly. Harry spent most of his time in the library looking up the ministry's laws. He wanted to make sure everything was perfect. Finally, the last day of the term arrived. Ron, Hermione, and Harry passed all their exams, as Harry predicted. He even correctly predicted Hermione's score on the muggle studies exam.

They all climbed onto the Hogwarts's Express. Harry, for once, was excited for the summer to start, he had big plans.

"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."

"But you passed with a three hundred and twenty percent!" exclaimed Ron.

"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I had to hand it in." She pointedly said to Harry.

Harry had tried to convince her to give him the Time-Turner.

"It would have made life a lot easier," he shrugged. He didn't actually think she would've given it to him, but he had to try.

"No it wouldn't have!" she exclaimed, then launched into an explanation about how dangerous Time-Turners are. Ron sent Harry a look, _why, mate?_ Harry just grinned, this Hermione was a lot easier to wind up then the one he left.

"So, what are your plans for summer, Harry?" Ron asked, once Hermione stopped for a breath.

"I'll stay with the Dursleys for two weeks, then I'll go to Sirius'," Harry said. "I'd rather have the wards just in case, and last time they left me alone when they heard I had a mass-murderer for a godfather."

Both Harry and Ron snickered at the thought of the Dursleys cowering before Sirius. Hermione shook her head but internally she was glad Harry's relatives wouldn't be too hard on him this summer.

After the long journey, they arrived at King's Cross. Harry held in a shiver, remembering how he came here in death. He reassured himself that he was doing the right thing. For once he felt proud of himself, knowing he made the right decision.

The trio departed the train with their luggage in tow. They immediately saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"Ron!" his mother greeted him by pulling him into a bear hug.

"Mum!" Ron protested over her shoulder, but he smiled all the same.

"Look how much you've grown!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, then she turned to her youngest son's friends, "look at you two! You've grown as well!"

She grabbed Harry and Hermione and also pulled them into a hug. As she released them her other sons began arriving. She then pulled each of them into their own hugs, despite their protests.

"Alright, then," Hermione turned to Ron and Harry. "I'll be off, you'll owl me?"

"Sure thing," Harry responded and Ron nodded. They said their goodbye's and Hermione left.

"I see the Dursleys," Harry told Ron.

"Okay, see you mate." Ron patted Harry awkwardly on the shoulder, Harry just grinned at his face. Harry turned at started to drag his luggage over to his uncle.

"Back, then?" Vernon asked, his face slightly purple, he was completely uncomfortable being surrounded by freaks.

"Just for two weeks," he reassured his uncle, and himself.

Vernon grumbled, but lead Harry to the car anyway. Harry then turned to look at the train once more. He already missed Hogwarts. He waved once more to Ron, then smiled to Ginny, who had just joined her family. Ginny blushed but waved back.

This summer was not going to waste; he was going to get his life back on track. This time he would get it right.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Two uploads today! Well I haven't made a lot of changes to this chapter, I'd be surprised if you could find what I changed from canon. Next chapter will explain how Wormtail's here.

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It was Frank's bad leg that woke him; it was paining him worse than ever in his old age. He got up and limped downstairs into the kitchen with the idea of refilling his hot-water bottle to ease the stiffness in his knee. Standing at the sink, filling the kettle, he looked up at the Riddle House and saw lights glimmering in its upper windows. Frank knew at once what was going on. The boys had broken into the house again, and judging by the flickering quality of the light, they had started a fire. Frank had no telephone, and in any case, he had deeply mistrusted the police ever since they had taken him in for questioning about the Riddles' deaths. He put down the kettle at once, hurried back upstairs as fast as his bad leg would allow, and was soon back in his kitchen, fully dressed and removing a rusty old key from its hook by the door. He picked up his walking stick, which was propped against the wall, and set off into the night.

The front door of the Riddle House bore no sign of being forced, nor did any of the windows. Frank limped around to the back of the house until he reached a door almost completely hidden by ivy, took out the old key, put it into the lock, and opened the door noiselessly.

He let himself into the cavernous kitchen. Frank had not entered it for many years; nevertheless, although it was very dark, he remembered where the door into the hall was, and he groped his way toward it, his nostrils full of the smell of decay, ears pricked for any sound of footsteps or voices from overhead. He reached the hall, which was a little lighter owing to the large mullioned windows on either side of the front door, and started to climb the stairs, blessing the dust that lay thick upon the stone, because it muffled the sound of his feet and stick.

On the landing, Frank turned right, and saw at once where the intruders were: At the very end of the passage a door stood ajar, and a flickering light shone through the gap, casting a long sliver of gold across the black floor. Frank edged closer and closer, grasping his walking stick firmly. Several feet from the entrance, he was able to see a narrow slice of the room beyond.

The fire, he now saw, had been lit in the grate. This surprised him. Then he stopped moving and listened intently, for a man's voice spoke within the room; it sounded timid and fearful.

"There is a little more in the bottle, My Lord, if you are still hungry."

"Later," said a second voice. This too belonged to a man — but it was strangely high-pitched, and cold as a sudden blast of icy wind. Something about that voice made the sparse hairs on the back of Frank's neck stand up. "Move me closer to the fire, Wormtail."

Frank turned his right ear toward the door, the better to hear. There came the clink of a bottle being put down upon some hard surface, and then the dull scraping noise of a heavy chair being dragged across the floor. Frank caught a glimpse of a small man, his back to the door, pushing the chair into place. He was wearing a long black cloak, and there was a bald patch at the back of his head. Then he went out of sight again.

"Where is Nagini?" said the cold voice.

"I — I don't know, My Lord," said the first voice nervously. "She set out to explore the house, I think. . . ."

"You will milk her before we retire, Wormtail," said the second voice. "I will need feeding in the night. The journey has tired me greatly."

Brow furrowed, Frank inclined his good ear still closer to the door, listening very hard. There was a pause, and then the man called Wormtail spoke again.

"My Lord, may I ask how long we are going to stay here?"

"A week," said the cold voice. "Perhaps longer. The place is moderately comfortable, and the plan cannot proceed yet. It would be foolish to act before the Quidditch World Cup is over."

Frank inserted a gnarled finger into his ear and rotated it. Owing, no doubt, to a buildup of earwax, he had heard the word "Quidditch," which was not a word at all.

"The — the Quidditch World Cup, My Lord?" said Wormtail. (Frank dug his finger still more vigorously into his ear.) "Forgive me, but — I do not understand — why should we wait until the World Cup is over?"

"Because, fool, at this very moment wizards are pouring into the country from all over the world, and every meddler from the Ministry of Magic will be on duty, on the watch for signs of unusual activity, checking and double-checking identities. They will be obsessed with security, lest the Muggles notice anything. So we wait."

Frank stopped trying to clear out his ear. He had distinctly heard the words "Ministry of Magic," "wizards," and "Muggles." Plainly, each of these expressions meant something secret, and Frank could think of only two sorts of people who would speak in code: spies and criminals. Frank tightened his hold on his walking stick once more, and listened more closely still.

"Your Lordship is still determined, then?" Wormtail said quietly.

"Certainly I am determined, Wormtail." There was a note of menace in the cold voice now.

A slight pause followed — and then Wormtail spoke, the words tumbling from him in a rush, as though he was forcing himself to say this before he lost his nerve.

"It could be done without Harry Potter, My Lord."

Another pause, more protracted, and then —

"Without Harry Potter?" breathed the second voice softly. "I see . . ."

"My Lord, I do not say this out of concern for the boy!" said Wormtail, his voice rising squeakily. "The boy is nothing to me, nothing at all! It is merely that if we were to use another witch or wizard — any wizard — the thing could be done so much more quickly! If you allowed me to leave you for a short while — you know that I can disguise myself most effectively — I could be back here in as little as two days with a suitable person —"

"I could use another wizard," said the cold voice softly, "that is true. . . ."

"My Lord, it makes sense," said Wormtail, sounding thoroughly relieved now. "Laying hands on Harry Potter would be so difficult, he is so well protected —"

"And so you volunteer to go and fetch me a substitute? I wonder. . . perhaps the task of nursing me has become wearisome for you, Wormtail? Could this suggestion of abandoning the plan be nothing more than an attempt to desert me?"

"My Lord! I — I have no wish to leave you, none at all —"

"Do not lie to me!" hissed the second voice. "I can always tell, Wormtail! You are regretting that you ever returned to me. I revolt you. I see you flinch when you look at me, feel you shudder when you touch me. . . ."

"No! My devotion to Your Lordship —"

"Your devotion is nothing more than cowardice. You would not be here if you had anywhere else to go. How am I to survive without you, when I need feeding every few hours? Who is to milk Nagini?"

"But you seem so much stronger, My Lord —"

"Liar," breathed the second voice. "I am no stronger, and a few days alone would be enough to rob me of the little health I have regained under your clumsy care. Silence!"

Wormtail, who had been sputtering incoherently, fell silent at once. For a few seconds, Frank could hear nothing but the fire crackling. Then the second man spoke once more, in a whisper that was almost a hiss.

"I have my reasons for using the boy, some I haven't explained to you, and I will use no other. I have waited thirteen years. A few more months will make no difference. As for the protection surrounding the boy, I believe my plan will be effective. All that is needed is a little courage from you, Wormtail — courage you will find, unless you wish to feel the full extent of Lord Voldemort's wrath —"

"My Lord, I must speak!" said Wormtail, panic in his voice now. "All through our journey I have gone over the plan in my head — My Lord, Bertha Jorkins's disappearance will not go unnoticed for long, and if we proceed, if I murder —"

"If?" whispered the second voice. "If ? If you follow the plan, Wormtail, the Ministry need never know that anyone else has died. You will do it quietly and without fuss; I only wish that I could do it myself, but in my present condition . . . Come, Wormtail, one more death and our path to Harry Potter is clear. I am not asking you to do it alone. By that time, my faithful servant will have rejoined us —"

"I am a faithful servant," said Wormtail, the merest trace of sullenness in his voice.

"Wormtail, I need somebody with brains, somebody whose loyalty has never wavered, and you, unfortunately, fulfill neither requirement."

"I found you," said Wormtail, and there was definitely a sulky edge to his voice now. "I was the one who found you. I brought you Bertha Jorkins."

"That is true," said the second man, sounding amused. "A stroke of brilliance I would not have thought possible from you, Wormtail — though, if truth be told, you were not aware how useful she would be when you caught her, were you?"

"I — I thought she might be useful, My Lord —"

"Liar," said the second voice again, the cruel amusement more pronounced than ever. "However, I do not deny that her information was invaluable. Without it, I could never have formed our plan, and for that, you will have your reward, Wormtail. I will allow you to perform an essential task for me, one that many of my followers would give their right hands to perform. . . ."

"R-really, My Lord? What — ?" Wormtail sounded terrified again.

"Ah, Wormtail, you don't want me to spoil the surprise? Your part will come at the very end . . . but I promise you, you will have the honor of being just as useful as Bertha Jorkins."

"You . . . you . . ." Wormtail's voice suddenly sounded hoarse, as though his mouth had gone very dry. "You . . . are going . . . to kill me too?"

"Wormtail, Wormtail," said the cold voice silkily, "why would I kill you? I killed Bertha because I had to. She was fit for nothing after my questioning, quite useless. In any case, awkward questions would have been asked if she had gone back to the Ministry with the news that she had met you on her holidays. Wizards who are supposed to be in prison would do well not to run into Ministry of Magic witches at wayside inns. . . ."

Wormtail muttered something so quietly that Frank could not hear it, but it made the second man laugh — an entirely mirthless laugh, cold as his speech.

"We could have modified her memory? But Memory Charms can be broken by a powerful wizard, as I proved when I questioned her. It would be an insult to her memory not to use the information I extracted from her, Wormtail."

Out in the corridor, Frank suddenly became aware that the hand gripping his walking stick was slippery with sweat. The man with the cold voice had killed a woman. He was talking about it without any kind of remorse — with amusement. He was dangerous — a madman. And he was planning more murders — this boy, Harry Potter, whoever he was — was in danger —

Frank knew what he must do. Now, if ever, was the time to go to the police. He would creep out of the house and head straight for the telephone box in the village . . . but the cold voice was speaking again, and Frank remained where he was, frozen to the spot, listening with all his might.

"One more murder . . . my faithful servant at Hogwarts . . . Harry Potter is as good as mine, Wormtail. It is decided. There will be no more argument. But quiet . . . I think I hear Nagini. . . ."

And the second man's voice changed. He started making noises such as Frank had never heard before; he was hissing and spitting without drawing breath. Frank thought he must be having some sort of fit or seizure.

And then Frank heard movement behind him in the dark passageway. He turned to look, and found himself paralyzed with fright.

Something was slithering toward him along the dark corridor floor, and as it drew nearer to the sliver of firelight, he realized with a thrill of terror that it was a gigantic snake, at least twelve feet long. Horrified, transfixed, Frank stared as its undulating body cut a wide, curving track through the thick dust on the floor, coming closer and closer — What was he to do? The only means of escape was into the room where two men sat plotting murder, yet if he stayed where he was the snake would surely kill him —

But before he had made his decision, the snake was level with him, and then, incredibly, miraculously, it was passing; it was following the spitting, hissing noises made by the cold voice beyond the door, and in seconds, the tip of its diamond-patterned tail had vanished through the gap.

There was sweat on Frank's forehead now, and the hand on the walking stick was trembling. Inside the room, the cold voice was continuing to hiss, and Frank was visited by a strange idea, an impossible idea. . . . This man could talk to snakes.

Frank didn't understand what was going on. He wanted more than anything to be back in his bed with his hot-water bottle. The problem was that his legs didn't seem to want to move. As he stood there shaking and trying to master himself, the cold voice switched abruptly to English again.

"Nagini has interesting news, Wormtail," it said.

"In-indeed, My Lord?" said Wormtail.

"Indeed, yes," said the voice. "According to Nagini, there is an old Muggle standing right outside this room, listening to every word we say."

Frank didn't have a chance to hide himself. There were footsteps, and then the door of the room was flung wide open.

A short, balding man with graying hair, a pointed nose, and small, watery eyes stood before Frank, a mixture of fear and alarm in his face.

"Invite him inside, Wormtail. Where are your manners?"

The cold voice was coming from the ancient armchair before the fire, but Frank couldn't see the speaker. The snake, on the other hand, was curled up on the rotting hearth rug, like some horrible travesty of a pet dog.

Wormtail beckoned Frank into the room. Though still deeply shaken, Frank took a firmer grip upon his walking stick and limped over the threshold.

The fire was the only source of light in the room; it cast long, spidery shadows upon the walls. Frank stared at the back of the armchair; the man inside it seemed to be even smaller than his servant, for Frank couldn't even see the back of his head.

"You heard everything, Muggle?" said the cold voice.

"What's that you're calling me?" said Frank defiantly, for now that he was inside the room, now that the time had come for some sort of action, he felt braver; it had always been so in the war.

"I am calling you a Muggle," said the voice coolly. "It means that you are not a wizard."

"I don't know what you mean by wizard," said Frank, his voice growing steadier. "All I know is I've heard enough to interest the police tonight, I have. You've done murder and you're planning more! And I'll tell you this too," he added, on a sudden inspiration, "my wife knows I'm up here, and if I don't come back —"

"You have no wife," said the cold voice, very quietly. "Nobody knows you are here. You told nobody that you were coming. Do not lie to Lord Voldemort, Muggle, for he knows . . . he always knows. . . ."

"Is that right?" said Frank roughly. "Lord, is it? Well, I don't think much of your manners, My Lord. Turn 'round and face me like a man, why don't you?"

"But I am not a man, Muggle," said the cold voice, barely audible now over the crackling of the flames. "I am much, much more than a man. However . . . why not? I will face you. . . . Wormtail, come turn my chair around."

The servant gave a whimper.

"You heard me, Wormtail."

Slowly, with his face screwed up, as though he would rather have done anything than approach his master and the hearth rug where the snake lay, the small man walked forward and began to turn the chair. The snake lifted its ugly triangular head and hissed slightly as the legs of the chair snagged on its rug.

And then the chair was facing Frank, and he saw what was sitting in it. His walking stick fell to the floor with a clatter. He opened his mouth and let out a scream. He was screaming so loudly that he never heard the words the thing in the chair spoke as it raised a wand. There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumpled. He was dead before he hit the floor.

Two hundred miles away, the boy called Harry Potter woke with a start.


End file.
